The Chicago (Red) Stars squeaked into the playoffs on the backs of a completely new regime, from the owners to the GM to the head coach. Very little was done in the offseason, and with Mallory Swanson MIA, their 2025 playoff prospects seem remote. Lesley Ryder of Gal Pal Sports came on to find the gold in the silt, and how Chicago can still offer some joy to its fans this year. Join our Patreon for only $6/month ($60/year) to get all our exclusive bonus content! Art by Eli Elbogen Music by Devin...
Mar 12, 2025•39 min•Ep. 146
RECORDED BEFORE THE SIGNING OF BIANCA ST-GEORGES & JANNI THOMSEN Kieran returns to share his pitch to NWSL front offices about potential partnership opportunities with American Soccer Analysis ! Then we dive into the ins and outs of the Utah Royals. They've brought in some very enticing players. Is it enough to make them playoff contenders? Will standouts like Ally Sentnor and Mandy McGlynn level up or regress? And how many ways can three people proncounce Jimmy Coenraets's last name? Join o...
Mar 11, 2025•37 min•Ep. 144
Angel City became the first club in NWSL history to be docked points for violations of the league's policies—namely, violations of the salary cap. They now have a new controlling owner, a new sporting director, and will have a new permanent head coach soon. Can the team on the field match the team off it? Michelle Chavez of the Sporting Tribune came on to hash it all out. (1:39) Then, the guys spoke to Angel City's new sporting director, Mark Parsons, about his first few weeks on the job and wha...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 145
Four straight ninth-place finishes. A roster that has more or less stayed the same from the end of last season. What can we make of Racing Louisville's on-field stagnation. Bekki Morgan of NWSL This Week comes on to give the Kentuckian's perspective on what Louisville's ownership group has done to get the team to this point, and what can be done to get them over the playoff line once and for all. Join our Patreon for only $6/month ($60/year) to get all of our exclusive bonus content! Art by Eli ...
Mar 11, 2025•49 min•Ep. 143
The Seattle Reign were old, slow, and boring last year. This year, they're slightly young, a bit faster, and potentially more exciting. Lynn Biyendolo will pep up the attack, and Madison Curry will stabilize and energize the backline. But can this group actually click? Sylvs of Shea Butter FC joined the guys to figure out what head coach Laura Harvey can do to get the Reign back on the right track. Join our Patreon for only $6/month ($60/year) to get all of our exclusive bonus content! Art by El...
Mar 10, 2025•36 min•Ep. 141
Out NWSL season previews keep on a'truckin' with a team whose fall from the mountaintop has been quick and precipitous. The Wave shipped Jaedyn Shaw and Naomi Girma at their requests; the legal action around allegations of a toxic workplace still hangs heavy; and new head coach Jonas Eidevall has to whip multiple kids into professional shape. ASA's own Kieran Doyle-Davis dropped by to sort out what the hell San Diego can do to have a respectable 2025. (1:02) Stick around for a small bonus track!...
Mar 10, 2025•25 min•Ep. 139
RECORDED BEFORE RAMONA BACHMANN'S RETURN TO THE CLUB Is Lucy going to pull the football? Will this time really be different? The Houston Dash have a new GM, a new head coach, and a slew of promising signings. It could really change the course of the franchise. Right? Sports Illustrated 's Theo Lloyd-Hughes joins the guys to sift through the wreckage of the Fran Alonso era, and what Angela Hucles Mangano and Fabrice Gautrat may have in store for a team that now boasts Yazmeen Ryan and Delanie She...
Mar 10, 2025•45 min•Ep. 140
The Washington Spirit may have the best roster on paper heading into the 2025 season. Can they be title contenders? Ella Brockway of the Washington Post and the Hey Spirits! podcast joins the guys to talk about the Spirit's run to the NWSL Championship game last season, and what they've done since to get even better. Join our Patreon for only $6/month ($60/year) to get all of our exclusive bonus content! Art by Eli Elbogen Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Song Learn more about your ad choices....
Mar 07, 2025•41 min•Ep. 138
Welcome to NWSL Season Preview Week! We'll be bringing you previews of all 14 NWSL teams with some outstanding guests to help us break down each and every club, leading up to the start of the NWSL regular season. First up, last year's Shield and Championship winners, the Orlando Pride! They're keeping most of their roster in place, with key additions like Grace Chanda and Oihane Hernández. Can big purp run it back? Bridie O'Toole of Busy Watching Women's Soccer takes the guys through head coach ...
Mar 06, 2025•39 min•Ep. 137
The USWNT has put three more friendlies in the books, and Emma Hayes earns her first loss of her tenure as head coach. After the guys sort through the NWSL jersey drop and injury report (1:41), they dive into all the ins and outs of the SheBelieves Cup, with special attention paid to the 2-1 loss to Japan. (7:47) What was the U.S. hoping to achieve with these three friendlies? Did the heavy rotation of inexperienced players work as intended? Is Japan actually a better team? No need to panic yet!...
Feb 28, 2025•41 min•Ep. 136
The guys make note of new signings Carissa Boeckmann to the Portland Thorns and Oihane Hernández to the Orlando Pride, and what Hernández's signing might add to the NWSL-vs.-Europe debate. Then, they turn over Emma Hayes's SheBelieves roster. This is the least experienced USWNT roster in the tournament's history! What does Hayes want to do with these three games? How frustrating is it that certain players were left at home? Which players will rise to the top? Find out today! Be sure to subscribe...
Feb 18, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 134
The guys touch on the Savy King transfer to Angel City (00:47) and the Hannah Bebar signing with Bay FC (13:00) before offering some thoughts on the NWSL's $5 million restitution fund for players affected by abuse and harassment, as well as the horrifying news surrounding Mapi León in Spain (17:33). Then they bring on Chris Henderson (23:05) to kick off Part I of College Week! Chris takes us through signings he has been impressed by, and what all of the player movement without a draft may mean f...
Feb 11, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 132
RECORDED BEFORE THE TRANSFER OF SAVY KING TO ANGEL CITY FC It's xOG's first ever live pod! The guys chat about Crystal Dunn's move to PSG and the other stray transactions of the last week, before launching into their live conversation from the inaugural American Soccer Insights Summit in Houston, Texas. Bay FC director of data and analytics Arielle Dror and NWSL information director Jen "The Keeper" Cooper to talk about the past, present and future of statistics and analytics in the women's game...
Feb 04, 2025•47 min•Ep. 130
Breaking news all over the place! Jenna Nighswonger is moving to north London. Where does this leave Gotham's offseason? (00:30) San Diego has made a flurry of moves, including losing Naomi Girma and gaining Kenza Dali. Yikes. (15:14) The Houston Dash picked up Danielle Colaprico and Messiah Bright. Are all of these parts adding up to something? (21:44) Angel City got another 30-year-old center back in Alanna Kennedy. Oh dear. (32:05) The Portland Thorns added Deyna Castellanos in a "blockbuster...
Jan 28, 2025•56 min•Ep. 129
RECORDED BEFORE THE SIGNINGS OF SHINOMI KOYAMA, SINTIA CABEZAS, DIDI HARAČIĆ, AND FAVOUR EMMANUEL It's been a busy-but-not-busy period of the NWSL offseason. The North Carolina Courage released the financial details of the Jaedyn Shaw trade (1:38). The San Diego Wave brought in some young talent, and can't shake the rumors of Naomi Girma's impending transfer (8:00). Angel City hired Mark Parsons as sporting director (good!) and announced Christen Press had re-signed (less good!), to our confusio...
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 128
We're back! The guys return from their brief, fire-filled hiatus to unpack all the news of the first weeks of the new year. They chat about the senior USWNT roster for the January camp, then dive into some of the major signings and trades in the NWSL, with Jaedyn Shaw's move to the North Carolina Courage carrying the headlines. Back in the saddle, folks! No time like the present to join our Patreon , where $6/month or $60/year gets you oodles of exclusive bonus content! Art by Eli Elbogen Music ...
Jan 14, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 127
It's the last episode of 2024! No better time for the guys to look back on the previous year and all the things they and teams were wrong about, from Orlando's final table position to who would be Rookie of the Year. (You'll never believe who Evan picked for that particular trophy all the way back in March.) Happy New Year, everyone! We'll be back on main feed on January 13th! You can subscribe to our Patreon for a 30% discount on an annual membership through January 1st! Just use the code E580F...
Dec 31, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 126
Becky Sauerbrunn retiring! Jonas Eidevall to the San Diego Wave! Lynn Williams to the Seattle Reign! Jaelin Howell to Gotham FC! Rocky Rodríguez and Lorena to the Kansas City Current! Julie Dufour to Angel City! The NWSL offseason is cooking with gas, and the guys break down all the major moves. 00:47 - Becky Sauerbrunn's retirement announcement 05:58 - Jonas Eidevall hired as Wave head coach 11:28 - Lynn Williams and Jaelin Howell trade 23:24 - Alex Loera trade to the Utah Royals 31:14 - Narumi...
Dec 24, 2024•59 min•Ep. 123
It's that time of year! The Best FIFA awards were announced on Tuesday, the final release of several end-of-year accountings of the year's best players. The guys merged all of these lists together and evaluated who really were the best of the bunch, and release their official top 10 of 2024. Don't forget to download Peel , the social game that lets you talk about all things WoSo with your friends! Click the exclusive link to download Peel and join the WoSo community! You can still get an annual ...
Dec 17, 2024•57 min•Ep. 122
NWSL teams locked in their end-of-season rosters, traded some players, saw some others sign with new teams, and a whole bunch of free agents hit the open market when their 2024 clubs didn’t re-sign them. Ryan Dell moved from Louisville to Kansas City, while Angela Hucles Mangano hopped from Angel City to Houston. What does it all mean? The guys break it all down. The show is sponsored by Peel , a new social game that gets you and your friends talking about the NWSL. Click here to join Peel’s WoS...
Dec 11, 2024•35 min•Ep. 121
The USWNT wraps up 2024 with a draw and a win overseas. How did the Triple Espresso-less attack acquit themselves? Was that scary first half against the Netherlands real, or just growing pains? The guys peel back all the layers. (1:05) They also sing a brief requiem for Alyssa Naeher's international career. (22:34) Then, they light up the hot stove with Spotrac's Taylor Vincent , explaining all the rules and weird tics that drive transactions in the NWSL. This was a blast. (26:55) Pick up gift m...
Dec 05, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 119
What. A. Game. The Orlando Pride are your NWSL champions, the first Shield-Championship winners in five years. Their 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit at CPKC Stadium was a grubby, terse affair, with fouls galore and a controversial bit of magic from Barbra Banda. Marta finally claims her first U.S. trophy, and despite coming out on the losing side, Washington has a lot to look forward to. The guys break it all down from every angle. Don't forget to subscribe to our Patreon , and get all of...
Nov 26, 2024•56 min•Ep. 118
The Washington Spirit have made it to the NWSL Championship, despite massive injuries to key players in the back end of the season. Can they keep this momentum going, or will the Orlando Pride stop them in their tracks? André Carlisle of Hey Spirits , Diaspora United and Beyond the Vaudevillian Cane returns to reflect on the Spirit season that was, and what lies in store for Trinity Rodman & co. in Kansas City on Saturday. Follow André on Bluesky P.S. We kept the audio a little bit raw so y'...
Nov 23, 2024•23 min•Ep. 117
The Orlando Pride are preparing to play the biggest game club history on Saturday, the culmination of a process that began more than two years ago. Team vice president and GM Haley Carter came on to talk about the journey the team has taken under her and Seb Hines's leadership, what philosophy they apply to every decision, and what the 2024 Pride represent, win or lose on Saturday. This was a good'un! Subscribe to our Patreon and get all of our exclusive bonus content for only $6/month! Art by E...
Nov 21, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 116
Well there you have it! The Washington Spirit will play the Orlando Pride at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City on Saturday for the NWSL Championship. The semifinals that got them there were scintillating contests, filled with drama, individual heroics, and masterful team play. How did the Spirit and Pride get past Gotham and the Current? We will be in Kansas City for the NWSL Championship! Come join us at Johnny's Tavern P&L in Kansas City on Friday night and have a drink with us. Don't forget to ...
Nov 19, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 115
The top four go in as favorites, and the top four leave as semifinalists. There were no upsets in the NWSL quarterfinals, as Orlando, Washington, Gotham, and Kansas City all moved on. Some games were unprecedented blowouts, like the Pride's demolition of the Red Stars (0:57). Others were tighter affair than anticipated, as the Current's defeat of the Courage proved to be (12:49). The final two match-ups were dreary, attritional affairs until they very much weren't, as the Spirit got past a resil...
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 114
The NWSL playoffs start tonight, and so we decided to take our most recent bonus episode out from behind the paywall. Coach and NWSL commentator Jill Loyden joined the guys to talk about the art and science of goalkeeping, and which keepers might make a significant difference in the quarterfinals. Join our Patreon and you can get incredible content like this every single month, for only $6/month! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Nov 08, 2024•57 min•Ep. 113
In Part 2 of our NWSL quarterfinals preview, we take a look at Sunday's doubleheader. According to one projection model, Bay FC actually have a decent chance to upset the Washington Spirit. Will their new-look midfield and Racheal Kundananji's heroics puncture Washington's injury-riddled squad? The Portland Thorns are all good vibes right now, having won two of their final three games, including an emphatic victory in Christine Sinclair's final game at Providence Park. But are those vibes enough...
Nov 06, 2024•44 min•Ep. 112
The playoffs are set! The top four finished the season strong and look like they'll make it to the semifinals with ease. Or will they? The guys preview all four quarterfinal matchups, and wonder where we could see upsets. Do Bay FC have what it takes to get past an injury- and suspension-rattled Washington Spirit? Could the Portland Thorns put some payback on Gotham FC after last year's playoff defeat? Do the Chicago Red Stars have any hope at all? And is the Kansas City Current's match against ...
Nov 05, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 111
The USWNT played a couple friendlies against Iceland, walloped them 6-2 across both games, and got four new players their first caps. That's about all there is to report! The guys go pebble hunting to find something to analyze in the most meaningless games of the year. Then, they break down their picks for the NWSL awards slate. Most of these are no-brainers, but they make a case for some down-ballot candidates, followed by an in-depth discussion of how to approach Defender of the Year. Join our...
Oct 29, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 110
